18th Century Colonial America

Britain

Pride in being the world’s advanced and freest nation Greatest naval and commercial power A parliament that represented the landed and merchant class

Sharpened sense of National Identity Shared throughout the empire, including the colonies

Single political-cultural-economic capital-London Common law Common Language Common devotion to Protestantism

Constant War with France Military establishment Higher taxes Bank of England

Europe and the Colonies

Central to British identity

Liberty was their unique possession Power and liberty were natural antagonists

House of Commons, House of Lords, and the king checked themselves

Colonists believed they were part of the freest political system known to man

Much better that the “servile” subjects of Catholic countries Especially France

Liberty

Republicanism

Literally meant a country without a king Not widely used in England

Memories of the beheading of Charles I Celebration of active participation in public life

Economically independent citizens Virtue

Could only come from property-owning citizens Willingness to set aside self-interest for the public

good

Republican Liberty

John Locke- Two Treaties of Government (1680)

Republicanism- public and social quality Liberalism- individual and private Government was formed by a mutual agreement of

equals “Social Contract”-men surrendered part of their

individual rights for the rule of law Retained natural right, which preexisted political authority Shielding public life from interference of the state

Government’s main purpose was to protect property Not really addressing women and slaves

Mostly propertied individuals

Liberal Freedom

Britain busy with imperial conflicts

Not much attention given to colonies Right to vote

Still held to property owning white males Which left out women, free blacks, and male heirs

This is not the case in all the colonies Much more in colonies than in Britain

50-80% voted in Colonies in 18th Century 5% voted in England in 18th Century

Colonial Political Freedoms

Most voting took place only during elections

In between decisions made by assemblies Many elections went uncontested

Community harmony Colonial Gov’t

Most governors established by England Rhode Island and Connecticut exceptions Laws passed by assemblies could be vetoed by governors

or by London Rise of Assemblies

Many became much like House of Commons in London A good governor worked with them

Political Culture

No true ideas of Freedom of Speech or the

Press Speech could be punished Censorship and papers were regulated

Increasing numbers of Newpapers Helped with increased literacy

1775- 3/4 of free males could read, 1/3 of women Pennsylvania Gazette- 1728

Owned by Benjamin Franklin 2,000 subscribers

The Press

German-born printer who immigrated to New York Establishes the Weekly Journal

Contributions opponents of Gov. William Cosby Accused Gov. of corruption, influence peddling, and

tyranny Arrested and tried on charges of sedition

Found not guilty Andrew Hamilton urged them to judge the gov.

The Trial of PeterZenger

Originated with French thinkers but crossed the

Atlantic Sought to apply to political and social life the

scientific method and reasoning Strongly inspired from the bloodshed of religious

wars across Europe Reason, not religious enthusiasm could govern life

Benjamin Franklin one of the best known Enlightened thinkers

The American Enlightenment

Arminianism

Reason alone was capable of establishing the essentials of religion

Deism God withdrew after creating the world leaving it

to function according to scientific laws without divine intervention Isaac Newton, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin

Franklin

The Ideas of Enlightenment

Religion was an important part of Colonial life

Sermons, theological treaties, and Bibles were by far the largest category of materials published

Westward expansion, commercial developments, Enlightenment, lack of attendance in church services All undermining religious devotion

The Great Awakening

Revivals

Religious Revivals spread throughout the Colonies Traveling preachers

brought in thousands of people

George Whitefield Lead Awakening in

Europe Came to America

and was a colonial icon

George Whitefield

Reflected tensions in the colonies New churches created even deeper divisions Called into question the authority of the colonial

system Salvation over Economic profit Increased Christianity within the slave

communities, especially in the Chesapeake Also inspired many to set their slaves free

The Impact

Empire in Crisis

Ohio Valley

Many different tribes placed there with expansion and settlements

Balance-of- Power Many learned to play each Empire off each other

Ohio County Becomes a point of contention between France and

England 1749- Virginia gives a large land grant to the Ohio

Company George Washington among the members This brought tensions between Britain and France

France claimed the area and bolstered its presence there

MiddleGround

King William’s, Queen Anne’s, and King

George’s War All started outside of American Colonies

Brought to colonies Colonial participation

Took pride in their contribution Hoped to be recognized as part of the British

Empire Saw the lack of recognition especially in peace

settlements as an insult

The Imperial Wars and America

Also known and the 7 Years War

Conflicts in Europe between France and Britain spread through out the world West Africa, Asia, and the Colonies Many claim this is the First World War

War starts in 1754 George Washington Started it all

Fort Necessity- utter failure English Win the War

William Pitt- All Out War-1757 France lost all of its land in America Spanish lost Florida for Cuba and Philippines Louisiana Territory handed over Spanish Biggest losers are the Indians

The French-Indian War

Indian threat on frontiers affects all colonies Albany Plan

Called on by Benjamin Franklin Formation of Grand Council

Members would include elected members of colonies

Attempt to oversee matters of defense Failed

Colonial assemblies want to hold their own powers

English Parliament

Colonial Call to Action

Young Washington Surrenders

Primary aim was to hold onto Independence

French ceded Native land to Britain they did not own

Neolin’s vision Master of Life

Must reject European technology, commercial ties, break the hold of alcohol, return to native dress and life

Pan-Indian Identity

British win Proclamation Line of 1763

Potomac’s War

Colonist felt they were always part of England

Becomes very clear that England saw it another way England’s lack of respect for the militia will come

back to haunt them Britain exits war in debt

Taxation of the colonies British troops in colonies

Consolidation of Empire

Prime Minister George Grenville Reduced tax on Molasses- 6 to 3 pense

Good thing More money coming into the coffers

Attempts to end smuggling Bad thing Colonial juries tended to acquit smugglers Now smugglers tried without jury trials

Removes power of colonial courts

Revenue Act Wool and hides previously traded free with Holland,

France, and Southern Europe Now all must go through England

Sugar Act 1764

Direct tax on the Colonies

Previous Sugar Act had mostly affected merchants

Now all the colonists are feeling it All printed goods must carry a stamp

purchased by authorities Newspapers, books, court documents,

commercial papers, land deeds, almanacs, etc.

American Boycott of British Goods “Taxation without Representation”

Taxation had been a colonial duty

Stamp Act of 1765

Virginia House of Burgess Meets led by Patrick

Henry- May 1765 Pass Virginia Resolves

Virginians were British Citizens Shared the rights and privileges as Britons Self-taxation Had always taxed themselves Virginia Assembly alone had the right to place

taxes on Virginians Two other more radical Resolutions not passed

Patrick Henry and Virginian Opposition

Samuel Adams- Boston Son’s of Liberty

Organized protests Craftsmen, shopkeepers, dockworkers, and laborers

Intimidation Andrew Oliver

Stamp distributer Aug. 14, 1765, burned in effigy Resigns

Thomas Hutchison- Governor House was destroyed by a mob

Colonial Opposition

Stamp Act Congress-October 1765

27 delegates meet in New York Dismissed Virtual Representation Used deferential language in protest Virtually ineffective

Yet advanced the notion of intercontinental cooperation

“Liberty and Property”

Stamp Act repealed in March 1765

Declaratory Act Parliaments right to legislate for the colonies

Assertion of the right to tax the colonies

Revenue Act of 1767/Townsend Duties Duties on tea, glass, lead, paper, and paints Revenue would pay royal governor’s salaries

New York Refusal to enforce the Quartering Act of 1765

New York Suspending Act Assembly is virtually disolved

Repeal with Bigger Problems

Samuel Adams-Boston

Now a member of the Mass. Assembly Parliamentary tax was unjust without representation Pay for governors subverted the relationship between

the people and their rulers Homespun

Need for colonial manufactoring magnified Appeal to “homemade” products Brought women into the fold of “liberty” and the

ideas of patriotism Daughter’s of Liberty

Opposition

Loyalty Oath

Fall 1768- 3,000 British Troops arrive in Boston

to quell uproar 1769

Tensions high, but no major incidents occur March 5, 1770

Small crowd taunts British troops Throw snowballs and insults

A soldiers fires after being struck Eleven men hit, 5 died

The Boston Massacre

Engraving by Paul Revere

Captain Thomas Preston and 8 soldiers placed on

trial All but 2 are acquitted

Branded on thumbs The funerals for the dead

Five buried with lavish funerals Among them is Crispus Attucks

African-American/Native American Man Lord North

Repeals Townsend Duties 1770, but keeps the tax on Tea

Aftermath

Crispus Attucks